We have received a few questions about liver spots, liver spots cancer and its causes, as well as about laser treatment of liver and other pigmented spots.

Liver spot, brown spot, sun spot are all synonyms for age spot. Liver spots have nothing to do with or caused by the liver. Pigmented lesions (spots) often appear on the face, the top of the hand, arms, neck and decolletage. These areas are the most common because they are the most exposed to the sun.

Pictures of Liver spots and other pigmented spots
Video of pigmented spots

These spots are the main signs of aging from the sun, i.e. they are caused not by the passage of time and chronological aging, but from the sun. The pigment spots you see appearing on your face are not a function of age, but of sun exposure. Sun spots are another common phrase for “age spots”, “liver spots” or “brown spots”. They are also called lentigos or solar lentigines.

Our skin has melanin pigment which absorbs sunlight and helps naturally protect our skin from UV rays. However as we age, our skin’s natural ability to fend off UV rays from the sun begins to deteriorate, and we see the development of age spots.

There are a couple different types of liver spots that people get on their skin. There are solar lentigos (age spots) and freckles (known as ephiledes). These come from the sun and that’s because the sun damages the melanocytes, which are the cells in the epidermis (the skin’s surface layer) that produce melanin pigment. Most of the cells in our epidermis are skin cells that form the dead skin layer as well as keratin that protects us from the outside world, but one in every tenth or twentieth cell is a melanocyte which produces melanin pigment and transfers this brown pigment to our skin cells to help protect us against the sun.

People with very light skin have almost no melanin pigment and that type of skin cannot do a good job of protecting them from the sun, causing abnormal melanin pigment in the form of freckles and brown spots. Dark-skinned people do a much better job of protecting themselves from the sun.

Sun-Damaged Skin Pictures Slideshow

Does Tanning Cause Age Spots?

Tan skin is not healthy skin. A tan is our body’s way of telling us our skin has been damaged, and its attempt to protect itself from further damage. As we undergo UVA and UVB light exposure from the sun’s rays or from tanning beds, we are damaging our skin, which will lead to age spots (solar lentigines), sun spots, liver spots, poikiloderma (reddish–brown areas of discoloration) and melasma (mottled brownish areas). Tanning beds have been shown to have a much more damaging effect on the skin than the sun.

Health experts are fighting back against the aggressive campaign by the indoor tanning industry to portray sunbathing and the use of indoor tanning beds as safe and beneficial for you. There are many research papers linking tanning beds to melanoma, the most dangerous kind of skin cancer.

Can Sun Spots be Prevented

Preventing age spots requires sun avoidance and sun protection. Most of the sun damage we receive occurs while we are driving. Car window glass protects us from 100% of the UVA light (the light which causes a burn) but none of the UVB, the light responsible for sun damage and aging skin. Installing a tinted or clear UVB-protecting film on the car window is a very good idea to help prevent much of the sun damage which causes age, liver, or brown spots.

The second recommendation is to wear sunscreen all day, every day, all the time. Even if you already have sun damaged skin, it’s never too late to start. This will help prevent further damage and age spotting.

Are Brown Spots Cancerous?

Rarely, but if you see any pigmented lesion on your skin do not assume that it’s benign. If you notice a lesion on your skin, especially if it has any changes in color, size or shape, you should see a dermatologist to determine if they are cancerous.

You may need to have a biopsy performed to determine if the lesion is benign or not. Once the doctor has determined that it is benign, there are a variety of lasers that can be used to improve or remove it. Most of pigmented lesions are very effectively removed with laser treatments.

Laser Treatment of Liver/Brown/Sun/Age Spots

In general laser treatment of pigmented lesions is very effective and permanent. New spots may appear as your sun exposure increases. These are new spots, not a recurrence of the old, removed spots. Good sun-avoidance is key if you wish to see your skin free of sun spots for a long time.

Since there is a chance that some of the age spots could be a sign of skin cancer, laser treatments should be initiated or cleared by a dermatologist. Laser treatments typically last 20-30 minutes, can be paindfull depending on the laser modality available to your provider, and should be repeated 2-4 times.

Ellezza™ is made by combining Snail extract with Allantoin and Aloe Vera to enhance skin regeneration, nutrition and hydration.

Benefits:

• Helps fade away spots, blemishes and scars
• Helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and stretch marks
• Minimizes acne scars and reduces outbreaks
• Helps speed the natural healing process of the skin
• Improves elasticity and firmness
• Made with all natural ingredients

More about Ellezza™

 

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Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory eruption of the face that may significantly impair patients’ lives, leading to considerable emotional distress and behavioral withdrawal from normal social interactions. One of the most famous rosacea patients (and exceptionally well involved in the society) is President Bill Clinton, who has mild erythematotelangiectatic rosacea and all means and tools to control it.

Mild cases of rosacea are very common in people of all ages – see pictures.

It’s easy to see why rosacea and the facial erythema could have a tremendous impact on the quality of life. There is a growing body of research and conteolled studies, Nuno Menezes MD et al of the Servio de Dermatologia do Centro Hospitalar de VN de Gaia/Espinho in Portugal is one of the recent and better ones on the pulsed dye laser, which reinforces the idea that aesthetic laser usage for the treatment of erythematotelangiectatic rosacea is very efficient.

Laser treatments administered by dermatologists and aesthetic physicians selectively target hemoglobin, the predominant protein in red blood cells: oxyhemoglobin (the oxygen-loaded bright red form of hemoglobin) and deoxyhemoglobin (the oxygen-unloaded purple-blue form). Several laser wavelengths are proved to be very efficacious in the treatment of vascular lesions – because of the high level of absorption by hemoglobin.

With so many salons, medspas and clinics advertising permanent hair removal, there’s a lot to look for if you want your money’s worth.

Both IPL machines and lasers are good for hair removal depending on hair type, skin type, growth rate and a variety of other factors. Lasers will most likely require fewer treatments, they are less painful, more suitable for darker and tanned skin, and generally safer than IPLs.

Costs of laser hair removal will vary greatly depending on a location, provider competition and the type of provider. Google “laser hair removal new york” and “laser hair removal maitland” – and you’ll see the point.

What is truly important is to research clinics and machines before getting started. It’s not just about price, it’s about cleanliness and the pain-factor and permanence. Do a consultation, get a patch test, and see if the office is well-educated and can answer your questions. 

Look for a clinic or spa with experienced providers, updated equipment and strong anti-septic practices. Alcohol is not sufficient to kill herpes, hepatitis C or the flu virus. Cleanliness is critical in this industry, especially if they will be working on intimate areas of your body.

Botox and dermal fillers are household terms these days and people are no longer shy to talk about it. In fact, according to survey statistics released today by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), nearly 9 out of 10 respondents (87 percent) openly discuss their dermal filler treatments with others, and 7 out of 10 (70 percent) receive support from the people they told.

This trend shows that aesthetic injectable treatments continue to evolve into mainstream and widely accepted options for the everyday use. Survey results found that the typical aesthetic injectable patient is a married, working mother between 41-55 years of age with a household income of under $100,000. The survey also found that women receiving aesthetic injectable treatments are health-conscious and philanthropy minded, with the majority incorporating exercise (95 percent) and healthy eating habits (78 percent) into their lives, and many volunteering with charitable organizations that matter to them (32 percent).

In addition, nearly seven out of 10 respondents believe that BOTOX® Cosmetic (72 percent) and hyaluronic acid dermal fillers (65 percent) are important parts of their aesthetic routine. “Most people have great success with BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers; however, we need to make patients aware that even though injectables are not ’surgery,’ their administration is a medical procedure with risks that depend on the training and experience of the clinician, the clinical setting and the technique used,” says Laurie Casas, MD involved in the survey.

Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers ranked as the third most popular procedure performed last year. The most common injectable dermal fillers are Restylane, Juvederm, Sculptra, Zyderm and Zyplast, and Bio-Alcamid.

Dermal fillers are being used to reduce or eliminate wrinkles, raise scar depressions, enhance lips, and replace soft-tissue volume loss.

Types of Dermal Fillers

Several classes of dermal fillers are marketed in the United States today. They include:

• collagen based fillers (i.e. Zyplast and Cosmoderm),
• hyaluronic acid based fillers (i.e. Restylane and Hylaform), and
• calcium hydroxyl apatite fillers such as Radiesse.

New promising dermal fillers are in development that will offer superior capabilities in the future.

Autologous (your own) fat is also used as a dermal filler. Your surgeon can take fat from one area (where you do not want it) and inject it into another (where you want it, such as facial wrinkles, or any other area with a loss of volume). This procedure is called lipoinjection or lipografting.

Injection of fillers usually requires the use of either a topical numbing cream or a local injection of numbing medication. Then, using a small needle, the dermal filler is injected into each wrinkle or scar that requires treatment. Some mild burning and stinging is normal and quickly resolves.

The results can last from three months to five years, depending on the filler being used. Collagen provides the shortest duration with effects lasting anywhere from three to six months. Restylane tends to last a bit longer with effects lasting from six months to one year. Radiesse can provide results that last greater than 3 years.

Dermal Fillers and Lasers

These two are very compatible. In fact, if your aesthetic physician is trained and has lasers, he or she can enhance your results dramatically by doing a combination treatment, which may stimulate the growth of new collagen and improve the skin texture. Typically IPL or laser photo rejuvenation (photo facial) is done as a separate procedure. An advanced aesthetic clinic will be able to offer a dermal filler-laser treatment combination in one seating.

Hidradenitis is a chronic disease of the apocrine glands (a form of sweat gland found on certain parts of the body). For unknown reasons, people with hidradenitis suppurativa develop plugging or clogging of their apocrine glands. It causes chronic scarring and pus formation of the underarms (axilla) and groin/inner thigh areas. In women it can also occur under the breasts. It is similar to acne, which is also a disease of the sebaceous glands. Hidradenitis is more common in people who have had acne. It may be an unusual type of adult acne.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is slightly more common in women and African-Americans. Hidradenitis usually starts as one or more red, tender, swellings in the groin or armpits. Over a period of hours to days the lesions enlarge and often open to the skin surface draining clear to yellow fluid. The involved area then heals with scarring. The condition usually continues for years with periods of flare and remission.

See hidradenitis suppurativa pictures

Available medical treatments for hidradenitis suppurativa, including systemic antibiotics, retinoids and biologics, have limited efficacy and significant side effects. Although surgery can be effective, it is associated with significant morbidity, including risks of infection and permanent scarring.

The long-pulsed 1,064 nm Nd:YAG laser provides safe and effective treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa, according to a study conducted by dermatologists Bassel H. Mahmoud, M.D., Ph.D.; Emily Tierney, M.D.; Camile Hexsel, M.D.; David Ozog, M.D.; and Iltefat Hamzavi, M.D., of the Henry Ford Medical Center, Detroit. The study group enrolled 22 patients (skin types II-VI) with Hurley stage II / III hidradenitis suppurativa that was bilateral and symmetric in distribution. Treatment sites included the axilla, inframammary region and/or groin.  Areas of involvement on one side of the body were treated with topical antibiotics only, and the contralateral side was treated with topical antibiotics and the Nd:YAG laser. A total of four laser treatments were performed at monthly intervals and patients were followed for an additional two months thereafter.

Study results

• At the six-month visit, the mean modified LASI score for all laser-treated sites combined was reduced significantly from baseline, and was significantly lower compared with the mean score for the control sites.
• The laser treatment was associated with pain in 40 percent of patients, but didn’t interfere with their daily activities. There were no significant adverse events related to its use.
• Patient satisfaction with the treatment was favorable and exceeded levels of satisfaction with previous medical therapy.
• Although multiple lasers are available for performing photoepilation, the 1,064 nm wavelength of the Nd:YAG laser makes it a rational choice for treating hidradenitis suppurativa thanks to its ability to penetrate to the site of disease involvement in the deeper dermis; in addition, and due to the fact that the 1064 nm wavelength is relatively less absorbed by melanin, it is safer for use in darker skin types.

Mechanism of action

The investigators speculate that the mechanism of action for the treatment benefit involves laser-induced hair removal and a photothermolysis effect leading to ablation and destruction of inflammatory lesions in the reticular dermis. These hypotheses are supported by findings from clinical evaluations and histopathologic studies.

Patients reported an early reduction in pain accompanied by an increase in discharge, which suggests the laser treatment worked similarly to surgical incision and drainage, ablating the hair follicle and allowing the discharge to escape through the follicular unit. “Our histopathology studies showed an early inflammatory reaction around the hair follicle, and evidence of follicular destruction at one month post-treatment,” Dr. Mahmoud says.

Differential responses

The differential responses of the three anatomic sites treated — the axillae, inframammary region and groin — are also consistent with the concept that hair removal is a primary mechanism of action.

Although improvement occurred at all three sites, when comparing the percentage changes from baseline LASI score, there was a statistically significant benefit for the combination treatment with the laser compared to the control only for the axillae and groin.

“Hairs in the groin and axillae are darker, terminal coarse hairs that respond better to photoepilation treatment than do the finer, vellus type hairs located in the inframammary region,” Dr. Mahmoud says.

LaserOffers.com

This study is another example of the expanding diversity of treatments that can be performed with the 1064 nm wavelength. 

Recent ads about home-based laser hair removal has left many consumers wondering about optimal and effective permanent hair removal options.

There are several home-based devices heavily advertised for their obvious advantage: you can use it at home. A couple of thoughts to add to your laser hair removal directory.

For $200 you can get a no!no! – a hair remover used at home that gives about 64 percent reduction in hair growth “over time.” The no!no! device uses a thermacon tip containing “Hot Blades” (which are not really blades) that house thermodynamic wires. While gliding the device over the skin, the thermal transference conducts a gentle pulse of heat to the hair resulting in crystallized hair. 

Zap it — with the Tria Laser, which uses “Diffuse Radiance Technology,” which transforms the Class IV laser diode used in a professional setting into a Class I laser diode. The Tria’s photothermolysis system targets the dark pigment of the hair causing it to gradually fall out or stop growing after six to eight treatments. For $795, you’ll see results in six to eight months.

no! no! and a few other devices that recently popped up in the U.S. market, are not lasers, to start with. These devices with similar promises may give you a 64 percent reduction in hair growth. The key word in the advertising is “over time”, which I interpret as “use it as often as possible for a long period of time”. Lifetime?

Tria is a laser. To get some results, you must have naturally medium brown, dark brown, or black hair and your skin color must be white, ivory, beige or light brown. I have seen so many people qualifying for good laser hair removal results and yet struggling for many months to endure multiple painful treatments with high power Class IV medical lasers to achieve desired 80-85% reduction, that I find it hard to believe in this low power diode. I can rate it a notch above no! no! but not far above waxing.  

The most effective, and therefore appealing of the hair-removal options on the market is professional laser hair removal. Why? Because it is the only one that really works! Do your local search, e.g. “laser hair removal new york”, “laser hair removal ny”, “suffolk laser hair removal”, “laser hair removal DC”, or “laser hair removal NJ”. Get serious! You are doing this for your own self!

I have always been sceptical about marketing hypes created by laser manufacturers. It has taken me years of watching thermages and fraxels of the laser industry to come up with a solid body of research that would confirm the real efficacy and worthwile benefits to the patient. There is no doubt that laser technologies are advancing. Does the pace of marketing advances reflect the technological advances that would deliver improved results for the customer? No. Marketing is getting better faster than results for the cash paying patient.

Here is a link to a strong opinion by an experienced doctor who questions the efficacy of the fractionated lasers.

More about fractional lasers on LaserOffers.com